Hemerocallis plant named ‘Orange Smoothie’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Hemerocallis  plant named ‘Orange Smoothie’ characterized by winter-hardy compact habit with clean medium-green foliage that goes dormant in the winter; rounded, fragrant, single flowers of orange-mango-colored base with light rose eye, pink midrib and light green throat; tepals with consistent and considerable wavy margins and recurved at apex giving more color from flower backside; scapes of up to 60 cm tall with four-way branching and 32 flowers beginning about mid-July and with repeating scapes through summer for about seven weeks.

Botanical classification: Hemerocallis (L.) hybrid.

Variety denomination: ‘Orange Smoothie’.

BACKGROUND AND ORIGIN OF THE PLANT

The present invention relates to a new and distinct daylily plant,Hemerocallis ‘Orange Smoothie’ hereinafter also referred to as the newplant or just the cultivar name, ‘Orange Smoothie’. Hemerocallis ‘OrangeSmoothie’ was hybridized by the inventor, Chris Meyer, in the spring of2000 in a greenhouse at a wholesale perennial nursery in Zeeland, Mich.,USA. The new plant originated from a breeding program conducted by theinventor with the specific intention to improve the garden worthiness,expand color regimens and increase flowering period which were some ofthe criteria of further trials in the trial beds at the same nursery inZeeland, Mich. The female or seed parent was the proprietary unreleasedhybrid Hemerocallis 95-104-2 (not patented) and the male or pollenparent was the proprietary unreleased hybrid Hemerocallis 96-20-5 (notpatented). The new plant was selected as a single seedling from thiscross and after confidential evaluations in a trial bed beginning in2002 in Zeeland, Mich. was assigned the breeder code 00-40-6. The newplant has been asexually propagated by division at the same wholesalenursery in Zeeland, Mich. since 2003 with all resultant asexuallypropagated plants having retained all the same unique traits as theoriginal plant. Hemerocallis ‘Orange Smoothie’ is stable and reproducestrue to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

No plants of Hemerocallis ‘Orange Smoothie’ have been sold, in thiscountry or anywhere in the world, prior to the filing of thisapplication, nor has any disclosure of the new plant been made prior tothe filing of this application with the exception of that which wasdisclosed within one year of the filing of this application and waseither derived directly or indirectly from the inventor.

There are over 82,000 registered daylilies with The AmericanHemerocallis Society, which is the International Cultivar RegistrationAuthority for the genus Hemerocallis. In comparison to the female parent95-104-2, the new plant has a mango orange flower color and the femaleparent has a pinkish-purple with a darker eye flower color. Incomparison to the new plant, the male parent has a much deepergolden-orange-colored flower.

The most similar daylily is ‘When My Sweetheart Returns’ (not patented)which has a smaller light yellow flower with broader rose eye around agreenish-yellow throat, and the flower is not as rounded or with therecurved tepal apex of ‘Orange Smoothie’. ‘Candy Peanuts’ (not patented)has similar flowers in base color, but slightly more melon, and withoutthe rose eye and green throat, with narrower outer tepals, lessrecurving to the apex, less wavy tepal margin and not as round in flowershape as ‘Orange Smoothie’.

Other similar cultivars with dormant foliage and similar flower andplant size differ in that: ‘Amerstone Amethyst Jewel’ (not patented) theflower color is lilac amethyst with a yellow chartreuse green throat andthe flower is not as rounded with the recurved tepal apex. ‘DreamboatJoseph’ (not patented) but the flower color is pale yellow. ‘Ink in theSnow’ (not patented) the flower color is near white with a violet bandaround a near white throat. ‘Isn't It Romantic’ (not patented) theflowers have lavender rose colored tepals and a thinner wave or ruffleon the margin. ‘Pink Tipped Pleasure’ (not patented) has flowers thatare butter cream-colored. ‘Pinkle-purr’ (not patented) has pink-coloredflowers and without the heavy wavy tepal margins.

Hemerocallis ‘Orange Smoothie’ differs from all other daylilies known tothe applicant, by the combination of the following traits:

-   -   1. Winter-hardy, compact habit with clean medium-green foliage        that goes dormant in the winter;    -   2. Fragrant, single, rounded flowers about 10 cm across of        orange-mango-colored base with light rose eye, pink midrib and        light green throat;    -   3. Tepals with consistent and considerable wavy margins and        recurved around apex giving more color from flower backside;    -   4. Plants produce concentrated scapes of about 60 cm tall with        up to four branches and 32 flowers per scape;    -   5. Flowering begins about mid-July with excellent coverage and        sending new scapes that flower through summer for about seven        weeks;

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The photograph of the new plant demonstrates the overall appearance ofthe plant, including the unique traits. The colors are as accurate asreasonably possible with color reproductions. Ambient light spectrum,temperature, source and direction may cause the appearance of minorvariation in color.

FIG. 1 shows a close-up of the flower.

FIG. 2 shows a two-year-old plant in peak flower in a sunny landscapeduring mid-summer at a display garden in Zeeland, Mich.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following descriptions and color references are based on the 2001edition of The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart except wherecommon dictionary terms are used. The new plant, Hemerocallis ‘OrangeSmoothie’, has not been observed under all possible environments. Thephenotype may vary slightly with different environmental conditions,such as temperature, light, fertility, moisture and maturity levels, butwithout any change in the genotype. The following observations and sizedescriptions are of a two-year-old plant in a sunny landscape at adisplay garden in Zeeland, Mich. with and supplemental water andfertilizer.

-   Botanical classification: Hemerocallis (L.) hybrid.-   Parentage: Female (seed) parent is the proprietary unreleased hybrid    Hemerocallis 95-104-2; male (pollen) parent is the proprietary    unreleased hybrid Hemerocallis 96-20-5.-   Propagation: Division of the rhizome.-   Growth rate: Moderate to rapid.-   Crop time: About 8 to 10 weeks to flower starting in spring in a 3.8    liter container from vernalized one-year-old plant.-   Rooting habit: Fleshy, about 2.5 mm diameter; lightly branching.-   Root color: Nearest RHS 159C depending on soil type.-   Plant shape and habit: Winter-hardy herbaceous perennial with 14 to    18 basal shoots emerging from rhizomes producing a radially    symmetrical mound of arching leaves.-   Plant size: Foliage height about 44.0 cm tall from soil line to the    top arch of the leaves and about 80.0 cm wide at the widest point.-   Leaves: Entire, glabrous, slightly glaucous abaxial and adaxial,    linear, sessile; apex narrowly acute, base sheathing; to about 58.0    cm long and 20.0 mm across, average about 56.0 cm long and about    15.0 mm across.-   Cauline leaves: 1 to 2 per scape; reduced, average about 3.0 cm long    and 8.0 mm across.-   Leaf color: Young abaxial and adaxial nearest RHS 144A; mature    adaxial nearest RHS 146B, mature abaxial nearest RHS 138A.-   Veins: Parallel, slightly striate abaxial; color same as leaf    abaxial and adaxial.-   Flower description:-   Flowers: Funnelform; single, with two sets of three tepals; 32 per    scape, mostly distally arranged on about 4 branches; upward and    outwardly facing; about 10.0 to 12.0 cm across and 7.0 cm deep;    individually lasting for about one day; flowers remain effective    from mid-July into late-August for approximately seven weeks in    Zeeland, Mich.-   Flower fragrance: Lightly sweet.-   Buds one to two days prior to opening: Oblate ellipsoid with bluntly    acute apex and basal one-fifth narrowed terete; about 7.0 cm long    and about 28.0 mm in diameter at widest point with basal one-fifth    narrowing to about 8.5 mm diameter.-   Bud color one day from opening: Apical 5.0 mm between RHS 144A and    RHS 144B, main central portion nearest RHS 22 B with faint overlay    of nearest RHS 144B, narrowed base between RHS 146D and RHS 144B.-   Tepals: 2 sets of 3; both sets recurved 270 degrees in distal    one-fifth.-   Inner tepals: Glabrous; rounded apex; consistently and considerably    sinuate margins to about 1.0 cm deep and 1.0 cm across; base fused    in proximal 2.0 cm; thickness at base about 2.0 mm; midrib raised    about 2.0 mm on adaxial surface; about 4.5 cm across at widest point    and about 9.5 cm long.-   Outer tepals: Glabrous; rounded apex; slightly wavy outer margin of    about 6.0 mm and central portion flat; fused in basal 2.0 cm; about    8.0 cm long and 6.5 cm across.-   Inner tepal color adaxial starting distally: Outer orange band about    25 mm wide of between RHS 22C and RHS 22B; eye about 10.0 mm wide of    nearest RHS 30D; thin yellow band of nearest RHS 13C melding into    green throat reaching about 29.0 mm to base nearest RHS 143A; with a    midrib of nearest RHS 29D.-   Inner tepal color abaxial: Nearest RHS 22C.-   Outer tepal color adaxial: 1.0 mm green apex nearest RHS 144A;    between RHS 22 B and RHS 22C; melding into green base of nearest RHS    145A.-   Outer tepal color abaxial, starting distally: 1.0 mm green apex    nearest RHS 144A; middle portion between RHS 22B and RHS 23C,    melding to base about 1.5 cm before narrow tube of nearest RHS    N144D, and narrow tube nearest RHS N144D.-   Pedicel: Approximately 10.0 mm long, 3.5 mm wide at base.-   Pedicel color: Between RHS 139A and RHS 139C.-   Peduncle: Usually one per division, erect to about 1.2 mm diameter    at base, average 92.0 cm tall; extending above foliage.-   Peduncle color: Between RHS 139A and RHS 139B.-   Gynoecium: Single; tri-carpeled.    -   -   Style.—Single, about 8.0 cm long, 2.0 mm diameter, curled            upward at distal one-third; color distally lighter than RHS            23D and proximally blend between RHS 145C and RHS 150C.        -   Stigma.—1.0 mm to 2.0 mm in diameter; color nearest RHS            150D.        -   Ovary.—Oval, about 6.0 mm long and 3.5 mm diameter at base            with an acute apex; color nearest RHS 144A.-   Androecium: Six.    -   -   Filaments.—Six; adnate to tepal; about 3.0 mm in diameter at            base and 4.2 cm long from fusion point on tepal; curving            slightly upward the last 2.0 cm; color distally nearest RHS            23B and proximally nearest RHS 145B.        -   Anthers.—Oblong; dorsifixed, longitudinal; about 6.0 mm long            and 2.5 mm wide; color closest to RHS 200A.        -   Pollen.—Elliptical, less than 0.1 mm long; color nearest RHS            23A.-   Fruit: Oblong ellipse; non-fleshy, dehiscent, many-seeded,    tri-loculicidal capsule; ellipse; about 2.0 cm long and 1.2 cm in    diameter; color while maturing nearest RHS 146C and at dehiscence    nearest RHS 161B.-   Seed: About 3 to 10 per capsule; nearly-round dried berry; about 4.0    mm diameter; color nearest RHS 202A.-   Disease and pest resistance and tolerance: ‘Orange Smoothie’ has not    shown resistance to diseases and pests beyond that common for    daylilies, and given the northern testing regions the new plant has    not been exposed to daylily rust, Puccinia hemerocallidis. The plant    grows best and shows best coloration with plenty of moisture,    adequate drainage and light shade during the hottest period of the    day, but is able to tolerate some drought when mature and direct sun    without leaf burn when provided sufficient water. Hardiness at least    from USDA zone 3 through 9, and other disease resistance and    tolerance is typical of that of other daylilies. The new plant is    useful for landscaping en masse, as a single specimen or small    groups.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct ornamental daylily plantnamed Hemerocallis ‘Orange Smoothie’ as herein described andillustrated.